Stand By Me
by JaneTheKidd
Summary: Years have now passed since the defeating of the Kishin and his allies, and after becoming acquainted with peace once more, the Academy suffers a catastrophic blow. With mass casualties, the original school in Nevada unexpectedly crumbled to the earth below. The new Witch Queen and Shinigami push forward, but fear the rise of a new, stronger opponent.
1. 『Prologue』A Narration from the New Queen

My name is Jane Ray, the Witch who fell in love with a God. He who is bound to live a life of centuries along side me, who brought color back into the drained world that I had lived in for so long. Yes, admittedly, despite being the Coven's princess, I handed my heart to the very man destined to keep it from beating. Though, the world has a funny way of working things, and in time he became my best friend, and my partner.

The God of death, fell in love with me, a witch who carries life in her very existence; the witch with the power of resurgence, and regeneration. Brining life to those wrongly taken from this world, and healing those who suffered great trauma. It seems all far to cliché for my taste, but I won't deny the truth of the situation. After all, life and death have been in love for longer than we have had words to describe.

And this was many years in the making. From the day I was born, according to the story the _original_ Shinigami told. Death protected Life, just like he protected me, from the time I was only a few hours old. Nulling me back to sleep through a mirror, only to never see me again; he was only a year old and a half, then. But, when the image of me crying appeared on that glass, he took his first steps. All to hush me back into a peaceful sleep.

Years crawled by for me, then. And I grew up as any witch would. Learning to control my occasionally destructive tendencies. I became the protégée child; the child of one of the most powerful witches of all times. The child of the very witch who sealed our world away from the cruel world of the humans, and Death. Though, it was apparent to many, including myself, that I was an odd child. A scientific miracle.

To some, like my mother, I was the key to a new world. To others, I was the downfall to the world we knew so well. But the day I held up my scythe, I was sealed away for my own protection. A demon weapon, by far the most taboo thing to reside in the Witches' Realm. Several witches attempted to do away with me, with no prevail. As the years stretched on, I began to blossom into a familiar face. Entering my teen years, I became a book carrying rebel. Sneaking to and from the tower meant to protect me in seek for knowledge; in seek of understanding just what I was.

A hyrbid. A witch who held the activating gene of a weapon. It didn't take long for me to stumble across the books mother kept on Death's academy. A school where weapons like me were trained to kill evil spirits, and consume a soul of a witch.. like me. In order to become a 'complete' demon weapon, or 'Death Scythe', a weapon must consume ninety nine souls, and one witch soul. Then, and only then, would their powers be completely fulfilled.

Immediately, I requested entrance into the academy. Every member of the Order was struck in aghast and terror as I requested to be enrolled into the very school that seemingly existed to drive us extinct. After months of consideration, a contract was signed. I was enrolled into the academy shortly after; the only ones to know I was a witch was the Shinigami, his son, and a select few staff members. I was placed under the protection of a young man, who's face was the first I saw upon arrival, and whose eyes mesmerized me. The same boy who had hushed me to sleep; though we didn't know the story until years later. The heir of the Shinigami. Death, protecting life.

My cover didn't last long. After receiving a fatal blow from a venomous foe, the son of the current Shinigami flatlined. By this time, I had already accepted my fate. And something about his breaths ceasing caused my heart to drop from my chest. As our enemy fled with a victory, I rushed to aid him. Releasing my Soul Protect had alerted every Meister in the city that I was there. Even those with no perception of souls could feel my presence. I remember grasping to his body, casting a powerful spell that should have killed me. I remember our lips grazing as I pushed the life in my body to his, and then I remember darkness.

I woke from the coma a few weeks later, bearing a golden eye identical to the male's that I had successfully saved. The school's professor ran test, and observed me through and through. His final conclusion? I had absorbed the shattered piece of my companions soul, leaving me to forever bear a part of him wherever I went. However, while his soul had healed over the part of mine he received in return, my didn't. My soul couldn't over come the fragment of a God's soul. I didn't mind, but he threw a fit over my eyes no longer matching.

Time continued onward as usual. Fighting of foes as the came and went. Though it wasn't as clean as I would have hoped. Our venomous enemy from before was far from done with us. Driving each of us to the brink of madness, and leaving us with scars we would forever bear. Scars that not even my own magic could fix.

Years scattered onward, and our lives grew more hectic, though we never lost sight of each other. The younger Shinigami, Kid, had stepped up after his fathers passing. Becoming the new God of death. The completion of his lines of Sanzu was bitter sweet. We had united our people, received a final blessing from his father, and experienced the beginning of a new era. But at such a young age, his father had vanished from the world with no trace. Until this day, I can see the pain in his eyes when he looks into a mirror. But I have faith that in time, I can heal even that.

For years, everything went extraordinary. A few minor bumps in the road but nothing we couldn't handle together. We always spoke of a new enemy rising, as one always did, but it always seemed like childs play. We became accustomed to the peace, to winning. Our friends had grown up, and so had we— the announcement of our betrothal was hardly a surprise to our long time friends. We all successfully graduated with honor and pride in our alma mater, as all students do. Then the day came when we all went our separate ways.

Maka and Soul are now stationed in Europe; Soul finally patched things up with his brother during a short stay in Italy. It was nice to hear that my adoptive family was back in one piece; after all I was an Evans by name.

Black Star, Angela, and Tsubaki we're stationed in Asia. Turns out, the branch of the academy is now specializing in the training of witches to be less destructive thanks to Kim. Jackie had of course tagged along with her long time companion.

Ox, Harvard, Killik, Fire, and Thunder traveled toward South America. Tezca was enthused to have the company, and by this time next year, is expected to retire.

Kid, the Thompson sisters, and I all remained in Nevada, but we did pay a few trips to visit our friends from time to time. But as I said: _we became too accustomed to the peace_. None of us expected an attack, none of us were prepared for the day the academy crumbled. It seemed impossible. But that night, and even the next morning, we were pulling bodies from the rubble. I healed as many as I could before my own body felt as if it we're going to deteriorate. Our medical teams aided those who had the possibility of surviving, and our recovery team stayed with those we we're unable to save until they passed— taking final request and wishes. It was the darkest day in Academy history.

With the aid of the witches, we cleared the rubble from the city. We held a memorial for the lives we couldn't save, and laid the unknown victims to rest in a single tomb. An announcement was made shortly after that the Academy would rise once more, and seek out those who were behind this. But for days, the city sat without its ornament. The skyline suddenly seemed bland, and for the first time in years, I witnessed the new Death cry.

In only a month, a new academy rose into the clouds; and we made a negative into a positive. Dedicating the new staircase that lead to the school to those who perished only weeks earlier. Kid and I had worked out new plans for the school immediately. Between my knowledge of witches, and his of other opponents, we constructed a school that could withstand it all. New classrooms were added for Magical students, and we made these rooms extra durable. Walls capable of surviving an impact like no other. We opted to expand our library as well. Down below, an alliance of spatial magic and the new Deaths own abilities, we created a Death Room impenetrable by anyone but us, and who we deemed access to it. A _completely_ new realm of dimension. Our basement remained as prison cells, as well as a vault for things deemed unsafe for the public—magic tools, books, dangerous evidence, etc.

The school became a mightier fortress than it was prior, but it still remained with a not-so-intimidating 'we're just trying to be your typical academy' appearance. Classes resumed shortly after construction finished, and parents were reassured that such a tragedy would never unfold again. Though, Kid and I had our doubts.

But, reassuring the public is just what you have to do as the fixed points. Had anyone sensed doubt in us, we undeniably would have taken a much bigger loss. As the year continued, our security was on high alert at all times. Becoming a target yet again was far from an ideal situation. All of my focus had fallen to the academy, and to the man running it. After all, I was still only a princess. The realm was under the hand of my mother, and she still had years left before she was scheduled to step down. Which was why her passing came as a gut wrenching shock.

My mother, the Witch Queen Maba, had been assassinated. It was far from the first time she was attacked— the first time being by the infamous Prisoner Thirteen—but I never expected to hear of it happening again. You could probably imagine, I was in ruins. My father figure, the original Shinigami, had passed only a few years earlier, and now my mother had perished as well.

A coronation was held at the new Academy, and I was deemed the new Queen. It was a truly beautiful ceremony, but it didn't ease the pain of what had been the cause of it. For the first time, I understood that look in Kid's eyes when he looked into the mirror. After the ceremony, I returned home to restore the Spatial Barrier that held our realm separate from Earth. However, I didn't remain there long, as I soon returned to the academy. Due to the open agreements of the new Death and I, the academy acted as a place for the new Witch Court. Whenever I was needed, I was never far; and that gave me all the comfort I need to remain alongside the Shinigami.

Upon my return, worked at an accelerated pace, and exhausted our resources to find the attacker who demolished the original school, and the fiend who took my mothers life. Sadly, we had no leads. Months passed without a trace of who, or what, was capable of these crimes. We questioned witches and humans alike, pulling every connection from every corner of the globe with nothing in return.

Our search finally ended on March 23rd. Tired, and with fleeting hope, we closed the cases. Praying that we never had reason to reopen them.


	2. 『The Month of Terror Begins!』 All in the

"Kid, I still think you're blowing this far out of proportion. It's no more than some hooligans playing a rotten trick. After all, halloween is upon us, and we both know that children like to wreak havoc. It's nothing the Academy Police can't adhere to."

Holding a napkin in her hand, the Witch Queen sat in a gold and black seat; her mismatched orbs focused on the man who stood before the Death Room mirror. Stress was evident in the reflection of his gold hues. All for something the witch sincerely believed was a sick joke played by some students. After all, it was the first day of October, people were bound to be getting into the spirit of things.

Though, she feared-no, she knew-his mind would not rest easy until she could confirm that what she held in her hand was no more than a prank. To think that this, a napkin with a illustration of the Kishin Asura's known symbols-appearing as three eyes-, was enough to unsettle the male until this day was almost unbelievable. But the frantic flickers of his wavelength, and the tension in his body, was enough to convince her. He was frightened. Petrified. The thought of the world once more entering the brink of madness etched into his mind. Though, she couldn't blame him. It was still a terrifying nightmare to recall.

But nightmare or not, the witch held her faith among her. As she always did. Even when she was shaken to the core, she showed no faults; investing her energy instead on him, and keeping him strong. It was truly a talent anyone who grew up as a princess knew all too well. 'No matter what is to go wrong, you mustn't ever allow your emotions to falter your appearance', words engrained into her by her mother all those years ago. Put simply: as a princess your job is to suck it up and accept it, then proceed to fix it with grace.

Speaking, her eyes fell to the cloth in question,"Let's say, for a moment, this was somehow the doing of Asura. Why in your fathers name would he messily scribble his 'symbol' onto a napkin and leave it taped to the door of the Academy, hm? Don't you think that's a little.. I dunno.. childish? It's just not a task I could see him performing. If he were to magically come back, he'd make a grand entrance of sorts. Hold a monologue on how 'the new Shinigami will fall before me', or something. But leaving a picture taped to the door? Yeah, I don't think so."

Pondering for a moment, the red and gold hues of the woman shifted once more,connecting to his own through the reflecting glass,"have you even looked over the security cameras? We have those now. You oughta use them."

"Yes, I have requested the Academy Police to overlook the tapes from last night, but there was no evidence of anyone being here. There was a brief moment of delay and suddenly that appeared. It seems someone may have tampered with the camera somehow and deactivated it long enough to place the note. Not that there's any evidence of that either."

"Shinigami, with all due respect, you're far to paranoid. I'm telling you there is nothing to be worried about here. It's a halloween prank for pete's sake."

Rising from her seat, the calm partner ventured toward the male. Stopping beside him, her free hand reached to his chin, gently yanking it so she could view his face. Peering up, the woman offered a reassuring smile before speaking once more; a soft voice as always.

"You have bags under your eyes and your skin is clammy. You're undeniably exhausted and stressed beyond your limits. God or not, you need sleep. Please."

Immediately to her touch, the shinigami's body fell from its clenched state. Perhaps she was right. It was a custom of the nation to be the scariest you could be for this month alone. The superstition being that if you were scary, you'd scare off evil beings meant to harm you. And what could be scarier than the very thing that almost ended the world? It was probable it was a harmless prank. Not to mention, years had passed now with no sign of life from the failed fragmentation of his father, so why would he suddenly appear now?

Resting his hand upon the queens head, the man finally smiled for the first time since the report of the illustrations finding- sometime around nine this morning.

Speaking, her orbs fell behind already drooping lids,"I reassure you that I'm fine. Considering the circumstances, you may be correct," a pause, but only long enough to open his eyes,"hm? You haven't grown much lately. I know it's not what you might want to hear, but I believe your growth has completed."

"I know I'm correct. And is that your polite way of reminding me I'm shorter than you?" The witch retorted, glaring up at the male,"I grew a whole two inches last year."

"My point exactly: _last year._ It appears as if you'll always be a foot shorter than me. Fourteen and a half inches, to be exact."

"Only because you take after your father. It's in your genes to be tall."

"As you take after your mother." It was at this moment that the males hand lifted from her raven locks, and instead fell to cup her cheek. Pulling up just a bit, his orbs studied her feminine features. Every curve of her face, the shape of her eyes, and the tint of her lips. Everything he had fallen in love with, all only inches from him, "Thank you for your assistance today. I know it has been an unbearably long one."

"I believe that's an understatement. And I also believe it's nearing our time to depart and return home for the night. As I said, you need your sleep." The woman smirked, her hand resting against the one cupping her cheek as her face nuzzled into it. "If you don't get at least eight hours of sleep, you get irritable and hard to work with."

"I can't be too intolerable, being you seem to stay near by. Anyhow, it can't be too ridiculously late."

As his sentence finished, the chime of the school played softly in the halls; the echo of the grandfather clock that was centered in the academy plaza alerting late night employees that the day prior had concluded. Midnight at last. For some this was the end of a shift, and for others it was a beginning of a long night. For a few select students and faculty, it was a reminder to go home and rest for the next day's activities. For the couple perched in the Death Room, it was a fresh start. A new day with infinite possibilities. And for the city, it was only October 2nd.


	3. 『Damned Blood and Unfortunate News』

Waking from their slumber, the young Death couple stirred in their sheets. The pitter patter of the rain from the day's dosage played rhythmically through the large mansion. Already time to rise and take on the new day, the autumn weather finally showing itself through the city as leaves dried and crumbled to the earth below, only to be whisked away by this storms breeze. It was this time of year that the city took on it's well known Halloween-esque appearance.

Now rising from the finely quilted sheets of the chambers bed, the witch began her day— a whole forty minutes before the grim reaper who lied beside her. This, of course, wasn't mandatory in any way, but the queen had made it a custom to rise early and ensure a smooth start to the day for her partner. Figuring that you cannot have a nice day, without first having a nice morning.

Venturing down the steps of the upper floors, the long black gown of the queen flowed in the crisp air of the mansion. Winding around a corner, the kitchen came into sights at last. Proceeding onward with her daily routine, the woman placed some water to boil in a kettle while tending to some herbs that would need to be manually crushed. Following her mothers techniques, the witch placed the now crushed herbs in a silk cloth, tying it up to form a handmade tea bag.

Setting aside the tea to be, she moved to her preparations for this forenoon's meal. This task proved far simpler as the head of the household tended to eat a light breakfast. No more than a bagel with some spread, a few berries, and his morning tea. It was a custom they both shared.

Finishing his plate off with a few choice berries, she placed his plate neatly on the table, and as scheduled, the male entered the dinning room. Pouring the simmering water into a cup with the silk pouch, she set it alongside the plate. A morning perfectly assembled as always.

* * *

Sitting high above the court's marble floors, the Queen of the Coven held an unamused stare. A witch presenting their final pleas for their betrayal of the Witch Order.

"P-please, Queen, I beg of you! My research was in no way meant to harm the Coven! I-I was framed for this! I was confronted by a being who's power was above my own and I-"

"Willingly betrayed your sisters in magic? Because a man approached you?"

"No! I would never! This was no man!" Toppling forward, the witch in question broke into fits of sobs before the stone faced queen. Her hope of surviving this trial fleeting. "I would tremble to no man! This was not my intention!"

"Nyamu!" Raising her hand, the queen silenced the pathetic amplified begs. Though, her finely tuned ears had heard as the witch made her statements—the tensions in her body, her heart rate, her muscles clenching in a particular manner. She was indeed telling the truth. "Rise, child. And inform me of who..or what..lead you to begin research into the blood of the damned."

"They'll kill me!"

"You either surrender what you know and live with my protection, or remain secretive and die by my hand."

"R-right. I.." Standing in her restraints, the traitor fought for her balance; shackles clanging and chiming as she danced awkwardly to her feet. Finally gaining the balance necessary to stand in the heavily weighted restraints. Resistance was futile, and her best odds lied with tattling what she knew. "A being approached me. Disfigured. Not giving me a name of any sorts. They're voice was masculine, yet feminine all at once. I tried to make a rebuttal and received no more than an overwhelming sense of.. _something_."

"Something?"

" _Something_. I don't know what it was. I've never felt such an overwhelming emotion. It was..scary."

"Scary?" The queen inquired, her voice gaining some concern,"scary how?"

"I don't know."

"Right. So some force was so overwhelming that you couldn't even stand against them? And you have no recollection of the beings face, or doing such ghastly researched, coupled with experiments?"

"No ma'am. I recall researching blood before all this, but not the damned blood. Only the blood of those different from humans."

"Like the other types. Like how the Shinigami holds type D, while humans are limited to A,B, and O— and any variations of negative and positives of those."

"Precisely. It was never meant to do harm. But I swear to you, I don't... I would never.. tamper with the creation of the damned blood. I swear! Please, believe me!"

A moment of silence, the Witch Queen pondering on all that had been said. Her ears detected no abnormal fluctuations of any kind— the defendant was, in fact, innocent. Acting under the hand of something she truly did not understand. She could not be completely to blame for the sickening research and experiments. The Queen had made her choice.

Scribbling onto a paper, she handed down her indictment to the Witch Judge; allowing the Judge to overview it all. After all, the Queen wasn't normally one to hand down official words, she was only there to oversee trials. This one being the exception where she spoke on behalf of the victims more than once.

"All in order!" The judges voice cracked through the room, all murmurs ceasing. "In the case of the Witch Helen Nell, and the experimentations with damned blood, I hand you your official sentence. Two hundred deaths! And never again are you allowed to be in a scientific environment."

"T-wo hundred!?"

"It's a light sentence, in my opinion. You've been blessed with a soft Queen. If you'd like to increase your sentence, by all means, continue speaking."

* * *

"Thats the last of it. Lock it up, please. I'm rather sick of dwelling on this matter." Pinching the bridge of her nose, the young woman exhaled her stress. Opening her eyes only after she heard the heavy door of the Academy vault locking into place. Placing her hands upon her hips, she swayed her head from side to side,"To think all these years later and someone would still think researching such a thing would be acceptable."

"It is rather odd. Such a taboo subject hasn't been around in quite some time." Standing alongside his companion, the new Shinigami placed his hands in his pockets, golden eyes focusing on the large door, "and to hear she was trying to force the blood into other witches.. Seems more like we have a new heretic witch on our hands."

Glancing up, the witch gave a disapproving stare, "No. The heretic purposely revived an experiment knowing it called for the death of her fellow sisters. This girl was under the hand of fear itself, it seems. She was doing what she needed to feel secured in her survival."

"Fear itself?"

"Seemingly so."

Pushing his own anxious thoughts aside, the critical male opted to keep away from the subject of 'fear itself'— a term commonly use to describe the fallout of the Death family. "How are they? The ones who were under experimentations?"

"Recovering. The blood was week, and able to be pulled from their bodies rather easily. I can't say they'll recover completely on a mental level, though. We both know the toll the blood can take on ones mind."

* * *

With the sun set in the horizon, the cackling moon took it's throne in the purple starred skies. Peace fell at last in the once bustling sitting as families and students alike began to settle in at home for the evening. Another successful day, presumably. All had gone well; all E.A.T students returned from their soul collections, no one initiated an on campus fight, and all staff had filed their daily paperwork and submitted it properly. A successful school day, all other things set aside.

Now, once more, the two rulers of the new world sat at peace in the Death Room. Casual conversations over the days events; the trial, breakfast, and everything in between. Poking fun at one another, for a moment, the couple seemed normal. It was no longer a witch and shinigami sitting together, it was merely two companions—a happy couple keeping each other company. After all, without company, the Death Room would often become solemn and far too quiet for comfort.

Though, their lovely conversation of how to go about the famous Death Festival celebration at the end of this month, came to a halt as the sound of the Death Room door opening. Yes, while it was a new realm of dimension, the door was always unlocked—unless there was something that was to remain crucially between those in the room, in which case, the door would seal for privacy and protection.

Standing from their seats, the two leaders waited for the arrival of those entering the room. The souls were familiar, and both immediately knew it was the two weapons of the grim reaper.

"Ah, Liz, Patty, nice of you to join us," the male spoke, a smile on his face as he did so. Always a pleasure to see his partners, even more so since their time together in recent years was limited. But his smile quickly faded as he picked up their body language. The way the younger sister clung to her elder, and how each of their blue hues remained glued to the floor of the stage like area. Something was horribly wrong. "Is everything alright?"

"Kid.. We need to go back to Brooklyn." A shallow voice was barely audible from the elder sister. A shaken voice, holding back a million tears in the lump of her throat. Gripping to the sibling that held to her, she continued, "Our mother..another prostitute identified her body.."

Immediately, shock and horror overtook the features of the duo. To hear of the death of their mother was almost unthinkable; even more so because identifying a body was only used in the matters of a murder. Something, unfortunately, many prostitutes fell victim to. True, the two weapons never held a close relationship with their mother— after all, the woman had left them to fend for themselves at a young age— but a mother was a mother. And the girls were devastated.

"Patty and I decided that, even though we barely knew her, it would be disrespectful to miss her burial.. I mean, you know, she didn't have anyone.."

"Of course." Approaching the girls, his hands came to rest on each of their shoulders,"I understand the loss of a parent, and I understand you wish to pay your respects. You have my permission to return home until your wishes are fulfilled."

"Are you sure?"

"You two need closure. Don't worry about it." The witch offered her consoling words as her fingers rested upon the arm of the younger blonde. As the pistols blue hues rose to meet hers, the witch continued,"you helped me when my mother passed, and I intend to do the same."

Nodding, the final conclusion was drawn. While yes, they ran the risk of the Death God being without his weapons in an emergency, they knew he was plenty capable on his own. And with the aid of the Witch Queen, there was hardly any worry. The likelihood of there being any sort of emergency that couldn't be handled with an alternative was highly unlikely. Anyways, it would only be a short trip. Nothing could plausibly go wrong.


	4. 『The Terror of the Night』

「Waking, eyes opened to a blurry world. A complete daze, and a stinging headache as the world around her came back into view. Grey. Muggy. Damp. A foul oder in the air as if someone had left last weeks dinner out and allowed it to sit spoiled.

Squinting her eyes, the female sat upward, hands shackled behind her back. Quiet, and trying to piece together every thing around her. Mismatched golden and red hues sought out any clues. Though the only other sign of life—or what once was— in the small room was a pool of dark brown blood.

"Well, there's my explanation for the stench.." A sarcastic tone escaped her. Pushing her back to the wall, she slid up until her feet we're plant into the floor. Lifting her legs, she slid her cuffed hands over her feet; now placing her hands in front of her, far more comfortable than behind.

Peering at the rusted cuffs, the young queen appeared rather unamused, speaking in a soft, yet sarcastic voice to herself, "Oi, if they're going to imprison a witch, let alone a hybrid, you'd think they give just a bit more effort."

Wiggling her wrist, her cuffs shook; the door of the chamber opening. Glancing up, the silhouette of a feminine figure was standing in the door way, all features concealed by shadows. And while at first, the Ravenette was unsure of who it was lurking, the voice that cut through the dense air was one that was all too familiar.

"Why give unneeded work?" The snakes tongue dripped with poison, her sinister smile cutting through the shadows of the cell. "Or did you forget? You're not a hybrid anymore."

"No.." The trapped female quaked in her place, "You're lying! That's preposterous!"

"Hold your tongue idiotic child. You're no more than a human like the rest of the mundane world." Not a snicker spared as her fingers snapped; shackles falling to the ground. "But by all means, if you really believe I'm a liar.."

Gritting her teeth, the child plunged forward; a single fist raised as she scoped out her target. This outburst would be short lived, though. A counter in the form of a kick that launched the already weary queen into a wall. However, that quickly became the least of her worries.

"It didn't transform?!"

"I told you, pitiful child. I am not one to lie. You escaped me once and managed to regain your abilities to a fuller strength than before. I'll admit, it was impressive," A pause, a glare, and a fading smile, "But it won't happen again."

"Oh good on you. You have me as what? A trophy?" Retorting, the female leaned against the wall for support, "And what for, Serpent? The worlds of the Witches and the humans have already been merged. Even without me, Kid will continue on. So what's the point?"

Silence fell inside the room. The only sound being the water from the above world dripping into the underground cavern. But then, the silence slicked to it end, the Vector Witch's cackles echoing through the surrounding areas,"You're hilarious! Do you really think I'd only take you? I would think you'd have some faith in my intelligence."

 _"Where is he?"_

"Careful. I can hear the desperation in your voice." Stepping aside, the pool of dried blood was back in view of the other woman, "I know he's a smart boy, so I thought he'd enjoy watching history in the making. Oh, he was devastated, really. Watching as his unconscious queen was ripped open. It was touching to see him so worked up over you."

"You're sick."

"What? You're not happy to hear that he cried over you? Isn't that what you've always wanted?" Tilting her head, a facade of a caring being now made itself present. The snakes voice almost as if she cared. "Are you crying?" And as quick as the facade began, it ended,"How pathetic."

Hues focused on the crusting liquid on the floor across from her. The blood from earlier that she blamed the rooms scent on. Vision now became blurred by watering eyes, a soft voice that held no hope, "where is _he_?"

"You haven't pieced it together have you? He's dead. You should have seen his face. The eyes of a broken man as I convinced him he would be starved to death in a room with the rotting corpse of his little girlfriend." An amused voice took its tone,"He struggled so much that the cuffs cut into his wrist. He bled out within minutes. Found him face down in a pool of his own blood. Oh~, but he was looking at you. Smiling. Perhaps he had convinced himself he'd at least be joining you once more."

"S-shinigami.." Falling to her knees, the broken child burst into sobs. Hands covering her eyes as her cheeks soaked with the tears of grief. Her best friend, her lifelong partner, deceased. The world seemed to become cold at the thought. The echoes of a cackling madman's laugh playing repetitively over her cries. Unable to move, unable to stifle anything other than repetitive apologies to the deceased God. 」

"Jane? _Jane_? Jane!" Shouting, the male shook his companion from her deep sleep. Having woken to her tossing and turning, crying, and muttering his own name, he immediately made the choice to wake her. This was far from her first night terror, even recently. Though this seemed to be the first in a long while.

Holding the witches cheeks, she appeared to be in shock as their eyes studied each other. A moment passed before a suffocating hug unfolded. An ear pressed to his chest, seeking out the familiar rhythm of his heartbeat.

"I can hear it.. It's still there.." Her words were quiet, speaking through sniffles as she began to calm. Though, as she continued to listen, an ache began to form in her chest, her tears returning, "What do I do when it's not?"

Hushing the female, the Shinigami's hand rose to rest against her head; the other wrapping around her torso in a tight embrace. "Don't think like that. You know better. You know this was no more than a dream brought on by your PTSD."

"It just seems so real.. W-what if she's not really dead? What if dad somehow-"

"He didn't. Father confirmed her death himself, and ensured that neither of us ever needed to worry about her again." Lying back into the sheets, he gave a gentle sigh as he pulled the woman beside him closer, "We're safe."

"But we weren't.. I almost killed you! How could you ever-"

"Hush. That was years ago and you and I were under her influence. You're not to blame." Running his fingers through the black and white strands of his hair, the young headmaster worked to console his companions heavy mind. "This is the first time in a long one that you've suffered a terror like this. I want you to remember that not only is that in the past, but that the future holds far greater for us."

Lifting her left hand up toward to ceiling, his thumb gently brushed across a gem that was securely fastened to her ring finger with a silver band. "We've come a long way since those days. But one thing will never change.."

Rolling onto his side, the male wrapped the frightened queen into a hug, giving a tight squeeze, "Protecting you will _always_ be my job."

Calming into the embrace of her lover, the tension fled her small body; being engulfed by the warmth of his. With her anxiety fleeting, her body became limp in the sheets once more. He was right. There was nothing to fear any longer, and despite all that had happened, they managed to make it out alive; even if it was just barely.

Pushing her lips to his, the witch's weary features finally twisted into a smile once more; her hand resting against his cheek as she gazed up at him, "Thank you, my handsome Shinigami."


End file.
